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Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Everett Silvertips Vice President / General Manager Doug Soetaert announced Monday that forward Kellan Tochkin has signed a three-year entry level contract with the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks.

Tochkin, 18, was the Western Hockey League’s rookie scoring leader in 2008-09 and became the first rookie in Silvertip history to lead the club in scoring, finishing with 20 goals and 54 assists for 74 points while taking part in 72 games over the course of his 17-year old season. Everett’s first round selection (13th overall) in the 2006 WHL Bantam Draft, Tochkin was presented with the Silvertips’ Rookie of the Year award as well as one of the club’s Iron Man awards for having played in all 72 games.

Standing in at 5’10 and weighing 177 pounds, Tochkin gained experience internationally at the 2008 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, where he posted a goal, three assists and four points over six games for Team Pacific. Originally from Abbotsford, BC, Tochkin becomes the third British Columbia-born Silvertip in two years to sign a professional contract with the Canucks, joining Victoria natives Dan Gendur (2008) and Taylor Ellington (2009).

“It’s surreal. It’s been my goal to play for the Canucks ever since I was able to walk,” Tochkin said. “Now I have to continue working as hard as I can to make sure that my dream is realized.”

At eighteen years and five months, Tochkin becomes the youngest player in Silvertip history to have signed an entry level NHL contract.

“The entire organization is very proud that Kellan has been able to reach the first step in his professional career,” Soetaert noted. “We all look forward to his continued development in Everett, where we expect big things from him this year.”

(Nathan also is a writer for Maineiacs Post to Post and the Maine Hockey Journal. He can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)